Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs are a delicious and easy meal that requires minimal prep time. The slow cooker does all the work, leaving you with tender and flavorful ribs that your whole family will love.
Jump to:
- Slow cooker country style ribs
- What you’ll need: ingredients
- Slow Cooker Boneless Pork Ribs Recipe
- Creative variations to try
- Step-by-step instructions
- Essential tools for this recipe
- Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)
- Deb’s tips for the crockpot ribs
- How to store leftovers
- Repurpose your leftovers
- Perfect pairings: what to serve with
- More recipes you’ll love
Slow cooker country style ribs
With this easy crockpot ribs recipe, you can have moist, tender, and flavorful ribs without having to worry about basting or standing over the grill. This means that this recipe is great for busy weeknights when you need a meal ready after work.
Guys, the spice mix here is the BEST! I love the flavors. It's a little spicy and a little sweet! Every time I make this recipe, everyone asks for seconds. It's THAT good!
What you’ll need: ingredients
Please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact measurements.
- Rub ingredients for the spice mix and your favorite sauce.
- Boneless or Bone-in country style pork ribs for this recipe.
Slow Cooker Boneless Pork Ribs Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon chili powder optional, for a slight kick
- 2 pounds of bonless country style pork ribs bone-in ribs work as well.
- 2 cups bbq sauce
Instructions
- Combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl - smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard powder, brown sugar, salt, chili powder and black pepper. Mix well until evenly blended.
- Rub the seasoning generously over your boneless pork ribs, ensuring each piece is coated well.
- Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Pour ½ of BBQ sauce in the bottom of the cooking vessel. Place the seasoned ribs in the slow cooker and top with ½ cup of barbecue sauce. Cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours until tender.
- Remove from the crockpot. Slather the ribs with additional barbecue sauce and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 15 minutes.
- Optional step - place the saucy ribs on a broiler pan and place under the broiler for 2 minutes until the edges caramalize and get crispy for that just off the bbq flavor! (Although I call this optional, don't skip this step!)
Notes
Storage
Refrigerate - Store leftover ribs in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days. You can also freeze in a freezer bag for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Reheat - When it comes to reheating ribs, I recommend that you reheat them in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes, or in the oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Add a bit of bbq sauce to keep them moist.Love this recipe? Join the free membership group!
Nutrition
Creative variations to try
- Are you a fan of onions? Line the bottom of your slow cooker with a bed of sliced onions for even more flavor.
- Adjust the chili powder to suit your tastes; if you are not a fan of spice, you can leave it altogether.
- For extra spice, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the dry rub.
Step-by-step instructions
This is an overview; for detailed instructions, scroll down to the bottom. Click on each photo to enlarge it for clarification.
#1 Prepare the spice mix. Measure and combine the spices.
#2 Season the ribs with the spice mix.
#3 Add bbq sauce to the bottom of the crockpot. Place ribs on top.
#4 Pour remaining sauce over the ribs. Seal and cook.
#5 When cooked, remove ribs and add sauce, place under broiler.
#6 Broil until caramelize serve and enjoy!
Essential tools for this recipe
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Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)
Yes, country-style ribs can be bone-in and boneless, and that is the cut that you need for this slow cooker ribs recipe.
Outside of the seasonings and sauce, I don't recommend that you add any additional liquid.
The meat strips for this cut come from the shoulder instead of the side of the pig. It isn't particularly tender. That why it's best to cook it low and slow.
Deb’s tips for the crockpot ribs
While the ribs are cooking, do not remove the lid of your crockpot. This can slow down the cooking process and lead to tough ribs.
- When I'm making a saucy recipe like these slow cooker country-style ribs, I like to use a slow cooker liner because it makes cleanup a snap, and there's less scrubbing needed.
- Placing the ribs under the broiler makes them over-the-top delicious, so I strongly encourage you not to skip this step; it really does make a huge difference in the taste.
How to store leftovers
Refrigerate - Store leftover ribs in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days.
Freezer - You can also freeze in a freezer bag for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheat - When it comes to reheating ribs, I recommend that you reheat them in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes, or in the oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Repurpose your leftovers
When we have leftover BBQ pork, I like to use the meat in Brunswick Stew or to make a BBQ Pizza. Sometimes, I even swap out the chicken in this Bubble Up BBQ Chicken Casserole and use the chopped leftover pork ribs instead.
Perfect pairings: what to serve with
There are so many different side dishes that go well with these crockpot country-style ribs. Here are a few of my favorites to help make your menu planning easy:
More recipes you’ll love
Love ribs? I've got you covered no matter how you prefer to cook them. From Instant Pot BBQ Ribs to Ribs On The Grill, to Slowly Baked Ribs in the Oven, you will find a recipe that you love. Or try something a little different, like these Crockpot Pork Chops With Mushroom Soup. So many yummy ideas!
Have questions about this recipe? I would love to answer them for you and help you troubleshoot this recipe. Please leave a comment below.
ColleenB._ Tx. says
I do add a splash of Liquid Smoke to my BBQ sauce. Kinda gives them ribs a nice smokey flavor.
Debra Clark says
Yes!! A little goes a long ways, so maybe 1/4 teaspoon. That's a great suggestion Colleen, thank you!!